Will Harris is stepping on the field once again after having a season-ending injury last year. The Senior had a skiing accident a year ago fracturing his upper femur.
“I was honestly very lucky to come out with just the femur fracture,” Harris said.
Now a senior, Harris is stepping into a bigger role than ever, serving as a model for underclassmen while continuing to learn and recover from an injury he suffered as a junior. His work ethic and overall mindset to everything he does will be an asset to him along with his team this season as they compete for another state title.
“It’s been very tough and a lot more challenging than I thought it would be,” Harris said “Last year, recovering from such a huge injury in a short time really pushed me to my limits and showed me what I am capable of achieving,”
Harris transferred from Creighton Prep after his sophomore year so until this season hasn’t had the chance to play as a Westside Warrior.
“Being my first year playing for Westside has been the hardest for me especially as a senior because I’m looked up to by many of my teammates but still have to prove myself.” Harris said.
When asked about his individual goals this season, Harris chose to talk about the team as a whole, which is a reflection of how much he truly cares about their success.
“A goal for myself is to impact the team positively by helping new teammates out and connect with everyone,” Harris said.
Coming off last year’s state championship, the Warriors are determined to keep their momentum going and take it all the way once again.
“A team goal for all of us is of course is to win state again and that’s what we’ve currently been working toward,” Harris said.
The Warriors will face their longtime rival, Creighton Prep, this week. Having come from Creighton Prep, Harris has noticed several key differences between their team and Westside’s which has helped him contribute to help the team and their success this week in practices and the big game.
“Well coming from Prep I know that it is extremely competitive between players and everyone there is talented,” Harris said. “The key difference between Prep and Westside player-wise is we have a very close knit group and support each other on and off the field always.”
The Warriors have all the key pieces to beat Prep this week—now it’s about putting the puzzle together.
“On the coaching side of things I believe that Coach Dean and all of the staff are top notch,” Harris said. “Heading into the upcoming game I’ve played with and against many of them during school and club which gives me familiarity with their strengths and weaknesses. I think that experience can give us an edge.”
Although Harris won’t continue his soccer career next year, he’s determined to carry forward the lessons he learned as a Westside Warrior and from overcoming his injury. He plans to attend the University of Nebraska–Lincoln next year to study business where he will continue to make the same positive impact there that he has made at Westside.
